[texbirds] Exciting shorebirding Cameron Co. (SE of Harlingen) 05/09/13 - LONG
- From: "Rex Stanford" <calidris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "TEXBIRDS" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 9 May 2013 23:09:31 -0500
This afternoon we gratefully received a "heads-up" call from Pat Heirs that
our mutual friend, Marie Stewart, had found numerous Buff-breasted
Sandpipers plus Baird's Sandpiper and some Semipalmated Sandpipers, just
north of Adams Reservoir on the unpaved northward extension of Bass Blvd
(east side of the road). She had been heading for a shorebird check on the
Adams Garden Reservoir when she discovered this treasure trove of delightful
shorebirds in a dirt field. This was a wonderfully serendipitous discovery
because the reservoir was too full to host shorebirds. Having heard this
exciting news, we wolfed down our lunch and headed for this site. As we
approached the area, we met Pat Heirs and Joyce Davidson traveling together
having just left the site of this shorebird bonanza. Marie had moved on in
her shorebird search, but Pat and Joyce reported that they had encountered
the shorebird assemblage at this same location and also reported numerous
Least Sandpipers. We then hastened southward on this very much "dirt road"
extension of Bass Blvd and, sure enough, in the dirt field on the road's
east side, just before the reservoir, we found the birds our friends had
previously found: BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (est. 80-90, enthusiastically
foraging seemingly every nook and cranny of the deeply furrowed field,
high-stepping with their bright golden legs and bobbing their heads as they
advanced as a group across the field and even onto the dirt road); LEAST
SANDPIPER (est. 100 or more); BAIRD'S SANDPIPER (2, possibly more, but not
so easy to sort out as they moved amidst the furrows with the several other
species of shorebirds, all advancing quite rapidly across the field); and
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (5, at least). This was a treat of high quality, as
these hungry birds moved very close at hand and were easily photographed as
we stood rock still watching as the whole assemblage advanced steadily, even
out into the road in front of us, before ultimately taking to the air to
return to the field for another feast, this time a bit farther north. Many
of the birds looked more than a little dusty from their stay in this area of
light-colored substrate and considerable wind. Pat and Joyce headed on to
join Marie for additional shorebirding at Lake Tio Cano, and we visited the
already close-at-hand resaca along Rangerville Road (FM-1479) that lies just
north of Jimenez Road. En route to that resaca we visited Weaver Road
(between FM-800 and Jimenez Rd, sometimes a productive grasspiper site), but
we found no shorebirds there today (but we did find that the
nearest-to-road, recently grass-barren, field was now sporting lovely
sprouts of grass everywhere, a good sign for future grass-pipering in that
area).
At the Rangerville Road resaca, we found today, much as we had on Sunday
(05/05/13), that the resaca west of the road was full of WILSON'S PHALAROPE
(dozens, but fewer than the past Sunday), but little else, so we moved to
the east side resaca, which, as on Sunday, provided some exciting birding.
On Sunday our star bird at the east-side resaca had been White-rumped
Sandpiper (3, at least), our first-of-season and always a handsome bird to
encounter, a rather athletic species and a very long-distance migrant. Today
we noted that the water level on the east side had subsided a bit, leaving
mainly mud in much of southeast-most area, but there was plenty of water,
still, and still a variety of potential shorebird habitats. Our effort,
right away, was to find White-rumped Sandpiper, for we knew that our friends
who had alerted us on the Bass Blvd birds were eager to find that species,
and we knew where in the resaca it was most likely to hang out (southeast
quadrant still holding water). Birgit quite soon spotted a single
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, a very handsome individual with neat , crisp, very
fresh, almost complete, breeding plumage, including some lovely bright-buff
coloration in its upper scapulars (upper shoulder feathers). We immediately
called Marie, who was with our other friends, and they quickly left Lake Tio
Cano to follow up on our White-rumped report. As we awaited the arrival of
our friends, the two of us alternated at the scope, trying to keep track of
the White-rumped to be able to show it to them when they arrived, which they
soon did. All were able to get satisfying looks at this bird. The area
contained several shorebird species, including, in no particular order:
BLACK-NECKED STILT (several); AMERICAN AVOCET (2, 1 in spectacular breeding
plumage); KILLDEER (2); WILSON'S PHALAROPE (dozens, some of the females
sporting very handsome breeding plumage, and, at times, many, sexuality
aside, were spinning simultaneously, eagerly plucking stirred-up food items
from off or near the surface); LESSER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS (but no effort
to count these bird that often strode swiftly among the other species);
STILT SANDPIPER (est. 45-55, at least); LEAST SANDPIPER (est. 25-30; some in
dazzling breeding plumage, with considerable color and at least one with
bright-white mantle stripes); SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (2, at least); PECTORAL
SANDPIPER (3, 2 of which were females sporting neat, crisp decidedly golden
feather fringes on top, truly radiant birds; 1 molting); and LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHER (2, 1 with the kind of bright, crisply marked plumage that is hard
to stop enjoying). Last, but not least, shortly before our group disbanded,
Pat spotted a second WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, certainly a different one in a
different location and showing less breeding plumage than the one originally
found.
If you are interested in birding this site, you may wish to bear in mind
that with the winds we have been having, the shorebird-favorable water level
may quite quickly diminish. Perhaps, though, there will be some rain out of
the next frontal system. Our avian visitors, like we, sorely need it.
If the decline in bright passerine migrants has you down in the dumps and
Empidonax flycatchers do not catch your fancy, you might enjoy finding and
studying some of the wondrously plumaged shorebirds now passing through our
area. In their breeding plumage, they are handsome and striking creatures
whose special kinds of beauty may surprise you if you have never looked
closely enough at them. Take your optics and take your time. We do not think
you will be disappointed.
Rex and Birgit Stanford
McAllen, TX
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- » [texbirds] Exciting shorebirding Cameron Co. (SE of Harlingen) 05/09/13 - LONG - Rex Stanford
